Perspectives on the beautiful game of soccer; fueled by enormous amounts of coffee

Thursday, July 31, 2008

No Mexican teams in SuperLiga final

Need translation? Click below.

Announcer introduces analyst Carlos AlbertCarlos Albert: Atlante has demonstrated, like all the teams in this tournament, that they’re not in good form yet, they’re in preseason. But that’s a pretext, like the bad refs, because all the Mexican teams accepted those terms while chasing the carrot of a million dollars. On one side, we also have to recognize that the U.S. teams have grown, while some of the Mexican squads are too puffed up with their own value at times, thinking they’re going to win just by wearing their uniforms and showing up. That’s untrue. The SuperLiga has shown that you have to show up serious and ready to play these types of games.

Announcer: There’s a big rivalry, clearly, not that that excuses the way both these semifinal games ended. What’s your take on that situation?

CA: The theme we have to accept here is that the U.S. teams are in midseason, while the Mexican teams are in preseason. We have to recognize that the Mexican teams can’t show up and take it easy. In the U.S. there are good players. They’re disciplined, they’re organized, they’re fit. You have to see the goals that beat Pachuca and Atlante. We can see they were good goals, well taken, goals that indicate good soccer. Those goals weren’t the fault of the ref, the fans or the field conditions. They were soccer goals. We lost. We have to learn to lose, so that what happened this year doesn’t happen again – they return without the million dollars and without dignity, because due to their impotent inability to score, they turned surly and scuffled and now many people have reason to speak badly of our teams.

16 comments:

Anonymous
said...

I loooove Carlos Albert, love how he says what he thinks -- always, no matter where the crap may hit. He also called the tourney a "SuperVacilada" the other night. He has been arguing against SuperLiga and InterLiga (and basically, anything to do with the MLS) for a while now. He's basically saying: if Mexican clubs go to the US to play and chase the mighty dollar, then get used to the crappy fields, the awful refs, the synthetic pitches, and pretty much everything else that comes with playing for SUM. God bless his soul -- he's totally right.

Interesting analysis, but it certainly has no relation at all to what CA is saying in this particular video. What he's quite plainly saying is that MFL clubs got beat and that the crap fields, bad refs, etc., are no excuse. MFL sides need to show up and actually perform, because MLS sides aren't the patsies everyone in Mexico seems to believe.

"everyone" in mexico doesn't think mls clubs are patsies... the truth is, most people in mexico don't watch, or even care much about the mls... it's a bush league, it's not something that keeps people up at night. argentine soccer, the european game (la liga, epl, el calcio)... that's another story.

Right on mike b. He's basically putting the onus on the Mexican teams to get rid of the belief that they can just walk unto a field against an MLS team and automatically win. That they actually need to come prepared and come to play.

I agree with Carlos Albert and Mike!!! I am also tired of all the BS excuses that are brought up every time we (Mexicans) lose. We need to learn to respect our foes, no matter what league in the world they play in. Like Carlos said, the goals were very well practiced and were not flukes. There was nothing the refs, fields, or whatever else that could have changed that but the players. We lost and that's it. No Excuses!!!

The problem with with the Mexican league and FA is that 60 years of dominance of concacaf,which ended 10 years ago. Has now clouded their judgement. They were the crem a la crem in concacaf. Now the rest of the region is getting better. the rise of MLS and the US nats, the costa ricans,and hondurans, and even some carribean nations like guadalupe and trinidad and the pesky jamaicans, lets not forget the future dark horse canada. Who are now starting to invest in the sport. the region Will soon give these pompous fools a rude awakening. even if they laugh. That cash flow the Mexican FA and league are enjoying wont last forever. The league lives off of american sponsers and ratings due to the mexican american purchasing power. when MLS establishes itself and starts buying americas best players where do you think those ratings will go and quality, not to mention the hispanics in this country who can play. its only a matter of time when parity in concacaf will arrive.

i guess when they lose its because they didnt try hard enough. to me it seemed like those players tried there heart out, no team that fights for everyball can say I am in preseason i didnt even try. IT SEEMS to me that all mexicans need glasses please contact

if being in preseason is an excuse then MLS has a huge excuse during most if not all concacaf competetions. Concacaf cup plays out in March/April and so being meaningful puts them in a disadvantage. So to me the gap is close if you look at first 11 vs first 11. Depth in MLS sucks but the first 11 are up there with any Mexico team.

sure MLS hasnt done much yet. Just like the national team didnt until about 2000 when they started winning here at home against Mexico. Same thing is starting to happen with MLS sides. We havent reached that turning point yet. That happened with the US team @ the 02 worldcup. I say we are at least 5 to 10 years from it , maybe sooner.( when the cap raises )Its all about the money. Mexico is a fine example of it Look how the league grew. Soccer doesn't have to make it here, to be great. If MLS even reaches NHL levels that alone is a success. Even at that Level the money involved would be substantial. Can you honestly sit here and say FMF isnt taking notice with these MLS teams. Theres reasons they do business with SUM, the recognize the money and potential the FMF wants in. Pachuca wouldnt start a team in the USL If they knew money couldnt be made.